My Personal Fitness Journey | Jillian Leigh Fitness

About Jillian Salomone

My Story...

When I was twenty-seven years old, I led a very unhealthy lifestyle and quickly became 25 lbs overweight. I was a “partier” and my diet consisted primarily of animal products (meat, eggs, fish & dairy). I was tired of not feeling well physically and mentally; I knew I needed to make a change.

My journey to become healthy and fit began that year. In August 2012, I vowed I would put my party days in the past, and make strides toward a healthy and fit lifestyle. My healthy choices had a domino effect. I quit smoking, began running every day, and incorporated yoga into my fitness regiment four-five times a week! I ditched the meat products, joined a gym to start lifting, and slowly started to transition to a vegan diet. To challenge myself even more, I decided to participate in a bodybuilding competition. I chose to compete in the bikini division and trained for it on a full plant-based diet! My decision to compete was completely out of my comfort zone; however, I was determined to push myself to the next level. As I researched bodybuilding coaches, nearly everyone I came across said that it was impossible to train for a competition without consuming meat, eggs, fish, whey protein, etc. It was a frustrating uphill battle for me, but I refused to give in. I did not want to accept what society was telling me. Deep down, I knew it was possible to compete as a fully plant-based athlete. In the nick of time, I found my coach and immersed myself in a vegan lifestyle. I started training for my first ever bikini competition in October 2013. Since then I have become a member of Team PlantBuilt, a team of vegan athletes from all over the world.

Through fitness, I have gained physical and mental strength, confidence in myself, and an understanding of how important it is to fuel your body so it can perform its best. My passion is sharing that knowledge with everyone who wants to get healthier, stronger and confident in his or her own skin! My goal is to spread the knowledge I acquired during my journey to help others achieve their health and fitness goals. I am dedicated to educating others in how to live a healthy, strong, and compassionate lifestyle on a plant-based diet.